Negotiations between the six powers and Iran are set to resume in September, with the deadline for an agreement on 24 November.

Despite the news, the BBC's Bethany Bell says a long-term solution to Iran's nuclear ambitions still seems a long way off.

The parties have been unable to reach agreement on imposing long-term restrictions over Iran's uranium enrichment and plutonium production - processes that could yield material for nuclear warheads.

In a joint statement after last week's talks, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: "There are still significant gaps on some core issues which will require more time and effort."